Furano Heso Festival

When talk about furano, many know that it's famous with Lavender, but there is also a very special event take place during Summer, called the Heso festival, on July 29.

A team of English Engineering Education Program (known as e3) international students of Hokkaido University took part in the dance, while I joined as the team's photographer.

The celebration of Heso festival involving the performance of belly dance at the street. Thus for preparation, the dancers first have their belly painted by some well-trained artiest, then follow by dressing up:

See the word e3 in the above photo? Ya, some advertisement here of our English education program. BTW, also worth to mentioned that I will be the very 1st Malaysian who join the program :)


After all the 'makeup' and 'dressing up' is done, our team took some dancing practice, for about 15 min... ya, it's not that hard as it sounds... The little girl in the above photo helps in the dressing up of our dancers, by bringing them the hat (ya it's the big blue one as shown in the photo above). After they all are done, now is her turn.
Guess what, just after she delivered the hats and turned around, I raised my camera and pointing to her, and she raised her hand and gave me a simple smile accompanied with the Japanese-girl-must-do "peace" sign, 'click'! - Done! so naturally and spontaneously, yet, I am most satisfied with this photo among all that I took during the trip.
Plus, I love Snoopy too!

They decorate the street with lot of lanterns...

There are also some tents selling foods and drinks... I bought a hot dog to fill my stomach.
This is our team marching... Actually the international team is not only us, anyone who are interested may join the team; The place that we do the dressing up is beside the Furano Train Station, some tourist came to us and ask "may I join the dance?" "sure!" Then they are painted, dressed up and marched together...
See the many flags...
Big drum...One of a kind drum...

Among all, this is the most upstanding belly...
When he move, so is his belly, which made the face seems so real (too bad I don't have video to show you)Beside belly dance, there are also other type... and what is this, traditional sleeping cloth of Japanese?
Basketball dance?!!
And it is not Japan if without Cosplay...
And among all the Cosplay, I found this one most upstanding...

Notice the kid in blue (in the photo above who trying to take the picture of the 'most upstanding one'), he first tying to take the picture, but then missed it as the 'most upstanding one' is marching too fast. Then the kid runs to the front pass the 'one' and then jumps out in front of the other audiences and wait for his second chance (as shown in the pic). He got it this time, in fact the 'one' had purposely made a funny posed for him. He was very delighted and runs to his parents afterward.
Me too felt very delighted to see such spirit in the kid - He didn't give up, and has the courage to pursue what he wanted!